Free Educational Programs

The Community and Intergovernmental Affairs bureau is tasked with educating the public on key issues the Attorney General's Office is working on such as internet safety, ID theft, student lending, Project Sunlight, civil and labor rights, immigration fraud, and a host of other issues of importance. To request a representative from our office to come to your community please call the local regional office or (212) 416-6044 or email communityaffairs@ag.ny.gov.

Program & Presentation Descriptions

Know Your Contractor: Know Your Home Improvement Rights.

Home improvement is an exciting prospect. Second to buying our home, embarking upon a home improvement project can be an expensive endeavor and its success depends on careful selection of a reputable contractor.

Unfortunately, over the last two years alone, our office has received complaints from homeowners across the state about unscrupulous contractors who, among other things, accepted money but failed to complete the job or performed work that was shoddy or negligent.

Our office has investigated these many complaints, successfully recovered thousands of dollars in restitution for defrauded New Yorkers, obtained court orders banning unscrupulous contractors from doing business in the state, and in some instances criminally prosecuted fraudulent contractors.

Know Your Contractors: Know Your Rights is an educational program designed to equip you with necessary knowledge to help protect yourself from home improvement scams. The program shows you how to use your rights under New York State's Home Improvement Laws and gives you critical tips to assist you in selecting a reputable contractor.

Our immigrant communities are an important component of the rich cultural fabric of our State. Unfortunately, many immigrants who seek to adjust their immigration status are victimized by fraudulent immigration service providers. The consequences can be devastating.

Immigration Services Fraud: Know Your Rights is a presentation designed to inform immigrant communities about their rights and options under the law as they build a future in New York. The presentation discusses individual cases brought by the office against unscrupulous lawyers or non attorney immigration service providers. It also highlights immigrant rights under the law and provides vital links to external agencies and resources.

While the internet has become a valuable and indispensable tool in our modern lives, children are also using the Internet as an online playground and can be exposed to real dangers. They socialize, post pictures and videos, play video games, and share experiences with friends and friends of friends. Unfortunately, strangers also have access to these conversations, pictures and videos. When our kids are online, they can be exposed to real dangers - among them, pornography, sexual predators, identity theft and cyber bullying. This is why the office has made the online safety of children a priority.

Internet Safety: Protecting Your Child's D.I.G.I.T.A.L Life stems from the work of the office to make online activity safer. The presentation, developed in collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, educates parents about what their children are doing online and how they can protect them from perils that are unique to online life.

The goal is to inform parents that while the Internet is an amazing educational and communication resource, understanding the dangers lurking in the cyber world can help parents and guardians keep their children safe online.

Identity theft - the unlawful use of an individual's personal information - is a crime and its consequences can be devastating. Identity thieves steal information such as your name, social security number, driver's license information, or bank and credit card accounts and use the information to establish credit, make purchases, apply for loans or even seek employment. Victims can spend months, if not years, and thousands of dollars cleaning up their good name, their credit history, and their personal records. This is why it's critical to educate yourself in advance to safeguard your identity and know how to prevent and respond to the crime.

Identity Theft: Protecting You from America's Fastest Growing Crime is an educational presentation designed to help you protect and defend yourself against this crime. The presentation identifies exactly what constitutes identity theft under state and federal law, exposes the different tactics identity thieves use to steal an identity, and provides critical resources to minimize risk of becoming a victim.

Our Office is committed to bringing to justice those who defraud, exploit and abuse New York's senior citizens. From deceptive prescription drug plans to elder abuse in nursing homes, from phony sweepstakes to bogus charities, from identity theft to internet scams - these crimes not only rob you of your hard-earned savings, but may also jeopardize your health and dignity.

Smart Seniors: Stopping Scam Artists Before They Strike is a presentation tailored to inform seniors of their rights under state law, and lays out steps to take to protect their health and assets. The presentation begins with a discussion about ways to spot common scams that target seniors - by telephone, mail order or the internet. It also addresses ways to access quality health care and protect investments. A discussion of how to ensure your health care wishes are known and honored through Advance Directives is also included.

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